Change speed transmission mechanism



8, 1942- c. D. PETERSON ETAL 2,304,

CHANGE SPEED TRANSMISSION IVIEGHMQISIV! 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 11194.0

INVENTORS 1 ATTORNQS.

Dee 8, 1 c. D. PETERSON ElAL "2,304,375

CHANGE SPEED TRANSMISSION MECHANISM I Filed April 11, 1940 2Sheets-Sheet 2 INV Z5 5 W%%MW%4 BY A'ITORNEY8.

Patented Dec. 8, 1942 CHANGE SPEED TRANSMISSION MECHANISM Carl D.Peterson and Albert H. llleimel,

' Toledo, Ohio Application April 11, 1940, Serial No. 329,161

4 Claims.

lhis invention relates to transmission mechanisms for motor vehicles,and in one aspect thereof, to transmission mechanisms embodying a fluidfly wheel and a change speed transmission gearing embodyingsynchronizing clutches, that is, clutches embodying means, as balkingrings, for preventing complete engagement of the toothed jaw sectionsuntil the speeds of the input and output shafts of the transmission havebeen synchronized or the speeds thereof cross. In transmissionmechanisms embodying balking ring clutches, the engagement of two clutchmembers or sections is prevented or blocked, until the instant thespeeds thereof cross, when the speeds cross and unlocking takes place,it is necessary that the shifting-in operation be completed at theinstant the speeds cross. When the shifting force or prime mover is handpressure, the operator might not follow through fast enough and theshift would not be completed at the time the speeds cross; henceclashing would result. If, however, the shift is completed when thespeeds cross, under spring pressure, the shiftable clutch member orsection will snap into engagement with the companion clutch section,when the speeds cross and the shiftable section is unlocked by theballring ring. The invention therefore has for its object resilientfollow-up means, as a spring, by which the shifting lever of the clutchselecting and shifting mechanism I can be operated to nearly fullposition, when the selected clutch is blocked from complete shiftingmovement, preliminary to the synchronizing or crossing of the speeds andfor automatically completing the shifting movement instantly when thespeeds are synchronized or cross, providing the operator holds theoperating lever in its nearly complete shifted position, until thespeeds synchronize or cross and the clutch engages.

It further has for its object shifting mechanism including a pluralityof shiftable members, as axially movable shift rods connected to theshiftable clutches, and an additional shift rod having an axial movementand a rocking movement, a selecting and shifting finger rocking with andalso shifting axially of the additional rod, to select one of the formerrods and shift the same together with the yielding means, as springs,which permit axial shifting of the additional rod in either directionfrom central or neutral position, while the selected shift rod and theclutch connected thereto is being blocked from complete shifting, and tore-act when the blocking force to complete shifting is removed by thesynchronization or crossing of the speeds of the two clutch elements tobe clutched together,

It also has for its object an improved form of the balking ring of thebalking ring clutch.

The invention consists in the novel features and in the combinations andconstructions hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In describing this invention, reference is had to the accompanyingdrawings in which lilie characters designate corresponding parts in allthe views.

Figure l is a longitudinal sectional view, partly in elevation, of atransmission mechanism embodying this invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary elevation, partly broken away, ofparts seen in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary diagrammatic view showing the position of theoperating lever in which the handle end has the long throw applied tovehicles as door to door delivery trucks in which the operator standswhen operating the vehicle.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the index plateapplied to any convenient part of the automobile body of a door to doordelivery truck.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of the balkingring clutch shown in Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary view on line 6-4, Figure 5.

Figure 7 is an elevation on a reduced scale of the balking ring.

Figure 8 is a diagrammatic operation view of the balking ring andbalking teeth on the shiftable clutch section.

The invention is here shown as embodied in a transmission mechanismincluding a hydraulic coupling wherein synchronizing or balking ringclutches are necessary or highly desirable.

I designates the input shaft and 2 the output shaft of a change speedtransmission gearing, these being capable of being connected in directdrive relation and also in indirect drive relations through gears on theinput and output shafts, and on a counter shaft, not shown, the

' gearing being located in the usual gear box 3.

t, 5 designate, respectively, the impeller and runner elements of afluid fly wheel or hydraulic coupling, these being mounted respectivelyon a drive or engine shaft 6 and on the input shaft l, the runnerelement being splined at I on the input shaft i, and the impellerelement being mounted on the drive shaft 6 and in the form of a housingenclosing the runner element. The hydraulic coupling or fluid fly wheelis enclosed in a suitable casing 8 abutting against the front end of thegear box. On the input shaft I between the hydraulic coupling and thegear box is also mounted a brake 9. The brake is used in connection withbalking ring clutches to effect a crossing of the speeds, particularlywhen a shift is being made from a standing start from neutral. The brake9 first operates to stop the input shaft I and then rotate it in areverse direction. When the transmission gear is in neutral, and thevehicle in which it is installed, stationary, the runner element 5drifts or idles slowly, and before making the shift, the brake isoperated to stop the runner element and rotate it backward, as is wellunderstood.

.The brake per se forms no part of the invention.

The transmission gearing includes clutch elementspreferably of thebalking ring type, for connecting the input and output shafts togetherthrough different gear ratios. I II and II desigmate the clutchelements. The clutch element I Is shiftable to the left from neutral foring the shafts I, 2 together in direct drive relation and to the rightfrom neutral to connect the input and output shafts in indirect driveincluding the gears I2 and I3, which mesh with gears on the :ountershaft not shown. The clutch element II s shiftable to the left fromstarting position to :lutch the gear It to the transmission shaft forlrst speed indirect drive through gears I2 and l and the counter shaftand gears thereon meshng with the gears I2 and I l. Reverse speed is, 3n the gearing here shown, established through an- Ither clutch, notshown.

The clutches II] and II are of the balking ring ype. The clutch II],which is a double clutch, is Ilustrated in Figure 5, this beingshiftable in pposite directions from neutral and including a hiftableclutch section I5 splined on and shiftble axially of the output shaft 2and provided 'ith jaw or toothed clutch faces I6, I! on oppo- Lte sidesthereof, which are shiftable into engage- -1- ient respectively withclutch teeth I8 and I9 proided on a complemental clutch element, as theTutch gear I2, and on the element or clutch gear 3, respectively. Theclutch teeth I5, I1 are here 1OW1'l as in the form of internal teeth andthe ieth I8, I9 as in the form of external teeth. he toothed element orsection I6 is also provided ith blocking or balking teeth or projectionsid 2| on opposite sides thereof for coacting with re balking ring, theseteeth 2|], 2| being in the 5' rm of external teeth on the hub 22 of thesec- )1). I5.

23 designates the balking ring which is rotat- 18 with the element orsection I5 and also rela- Iely thereto, within limits, it being hereshown m splined on the output shaft 2 and having inrnal projections orteeth 24, which are of less dth than the spaces 25 between the splineson e output shaft, in order that the balking ring may have a limitedrocking movement in oppo- (if) e directions from central position, anamount termined by the width of the spaces 25. .The

lking ring 23 is also provided with teeth 21 re shown as internal teethproviding passages for coacting with the balking teeth 20. The TH lkingteeth 20 slidably fit the passages 28, and

2 ends of the teeth 20 and 21 are square but amferred at 29 merely toavoid breaking off the th at the corners (Figure 8). The teeth 2|coerate with similar teeth 21 of a balking ring 75 clutch-. 25

similar to the balking ring 23 when the clutch section I5 is shifted tothe right from neutral preliminary to the clutch teeth I1 inter-engaginwith the clutch teeth I 9 of the gear I 3.

The balking ring has an annular flange portion 30 providing annularrecesses on opposite sides thereof, one side of this flange 30 coactingwith a friction ring 3| rotatable with the gear I2 and interlocked byperipheral teeth 32 in grooves formed with internal teeth 34 on the gearI2.. or an extension 33 thereof forming the clutch portion of the gearI2. The periphery of the flange 30 thrusts radially against the surfaceat the ends of the teeth 33 under the centrifugal force of the balkingring.

35 is a friction ring rotatable with the balking ring 23 and located inthe recess on the opposite side of the flange 30 to that on which thefriction ring 3I is mounted, the friction ring 35 being interposedbetween washers or friction rings 36, 31 rotatable with the gear I2.

38 is a lock or retaining ring interlocked in notches in the teeth 34.The balking ring 23 is eccentrically weighted, as seen in Figure 7, soas to have a slight radial throw, it being here shown as having one sidecut away at 39.

The engagement of the balking ring with the friction rings 3I, 3B and 38creates enough frictional drag for the balking ring to be carried by thedriving member or clutch gear I2 in one direction or the other to takeup the clearance provided by the spaces 26 between the projections ofthe balking ring and the splines of the shaft 2. Therefore, when a shiftis being made, it is necessary to decelerate the gear I2 by deceleratingthe engine, if the gear I2 is rotating faster than the shaft 2 or toaccelerate the engine and the gear I2 in case the shaft 2 is acting as adriver, as when coasting, in order to unlock the balking ring.

With the fluid fly wheel, 'the runner element 5 idles slowly when thevehicle is at a standstill, and hence the transmission gear in neutral.Before a shift may be made, it is necessary to cross the speeds. This isdone by applying the brake 9 and first stopping the shaft 2 and thenrotating the shaft in the reverse direction to effect crossing of thespeeds. Before the speeds cross in any case, the teeth or projections 20of the clutch section I5 abut against the balking ring on one side orthe other of the passages 28 (Figure 8) until the speeds are crossed andthe balking ring centers in the splines of shaft 2 in the position shownin Figure 6, and hence alines the passages 28 with the balking teeth 20of the section I5. When a shift is being made, while the vehicle is inmotion, the eccentric balking ring, because of its eccentricity, engageswith enough friction, due to the centrifugal weight to overcome theinertia of the balking ring, so that at all speeds or accelerations anddecelerations, the balking ring is held or positioned in correctrelation, dependent only upon the relative speeds of the clutch elementsto be clutched together. Otherwise, due to rapid acceleration ordeceleration, the balking ring would get out of its correct position, sothat when attempting to engage the toothed clutch sections, the balkingring would either be damaged by violently snapping back or be thrownunder its momentum to unlocked position before the speeds cross, andhence cause the clutch teeth to clash.

The shifting means, working in conjunction or correlated with thebalking ring, comprises a plurality or group of shiftable members, hereshown as axially movable shift rods arranged side by side or paralleland close together, an additional member or rod having an axial shiftingmovement and a'la teral selecting movement, a selecting and shiftinglever having a lateral selecting movement to rock the additional rod anda fore-and-aft movement to shift the same, and

' means for yieldingly transmitting the motion of the additional rod tothe additional shift rod, and thereby permitting full shifting operationof the shifting lever, while the clutch is being blocked by the balkingring from being completely shifted into engaged position, and forcompleting the shifting of the selected shift rod and clutch section,when the speeds synchronize or cross.

ii, if, and M designate the shift rods suitably mounted in the boxlikecover M of the gear box open at its top and bottom and mounted on thegear box in place of the conventional cover in which the shift rods aremounted. The shift rods ti and t2 have forks t5 and it connectedrespectively to the clutches It and ii, and the rod M has a similar forkconnected to effect reverse speed, these rods being held in neutral andin shifted position by the usual spring-pressed poppets ti.

ilt designates a prime mover for the shift rods, this being anadditional rod which is suitably mounted in a cap or cover M for thecover M above the central shift rod or at one side of the plane of thegroup of rods.

5% designates a selecting and shifting finger operated by the rockingmovement of the rod is into the notch of any one of the selector blocksEll, $253 of the rods ti, t2 and #33, when all rods are in neutral, andoperable by the axial or foreand-aft movement of the additional rod itto shift axially relatively thereto. The finger is here shown asprovided on the hub 5t slidably keyed at W to the additional rod it. Thesliding movement of the additional rod it is transferred to the fingerthrough yielding means, as oppositely acting springs 56, 511 encirclingthe hub M and each thrusting at its inner end against a collar W on thehub M and at its other end against an abutment or collar 59 or W on theadditional rod it.

til designates the selecting and shifting lever, this being suitablymounted in a tower to on the cover it to have a lateral selectingmovement and a iore-and-aft shifting movement, and it is here shown asconnected to the additional rod it to rock the same to cause the fingerat to select one of the rods til, it or it and to move fore-and-aft toshift the selected rod. The additional rod it is formed with a crank tiand the arm M of the lever it below its pivot point is connectedto thecrank as-by a ball-and-socket joint at W. The or W, as here shown,extends radially below the additional rod is toward the group of rods oris arranged on the opposite side of the axis of the additional rod fromthat on which the axis of the lever tll islocated.

Both the rwking movement and the axial movement of the additional rod Wis such that the finger will select and shift the rods located andspaced as in a conventional change speed transmission gearing, so thatby supplying the cover for the conventional cover of a transmissiongearing and the cap M for the cover M, this shifting mechanism may beapplied to a conventional tr ongearing. r

The gearing is particularly designed for door to door delivery wagons,where the driver stands when driving, and hence a particularly long orhigh gear shifting lever is necessary, so that the handle end thereofhas a particularly long throw.

In Figure 3, the front portion of such a delivery wagon is shown, inwhich the handle end of the lever GI extends through an index or guideplate 68 mounted on any convenient portion of the body of the vehicle,where the driver may readily see in which gear he is located, and ashere shown, the index plate 66 is, in the type of vehicle here shown,mounted on the upper end of a hollow pedestal 61, the top of whichserves as an instrument board.

In operation, assume the operator is starting from a standing start. Heshifts the handle end of the lever ti laterally, through the cross-overslot 68 of the index plate 66 and rearwardly into the first speed slot69. The lateral movement along the slot 68 causes the additional rod Mto be rocked through the crank 83 and the selecting finger at to belikewise rocked to select the rod t I. The movement of the handle end ofthe lever ii in the slot 69 moves the rod ill forwardly, causing theclutch H to be engaged to produce first speed forward. This movementcompresses the spring 51 against the collar 58 of th hub 54 of thefinger Bil, because the clutch H is prevented from being engaged by thebalking ring ll until the speeds are crossed. The operator crosses thespeeds, in this instant, by operating the brake 9, as before described,whereupon the spring reacts in a forward direction and completes theshifting of the rod if to the left in Figure 1. When a shift is to bemade into second speed forward, the handle end of the lever 6| is movedforwardly in the slot dd through the cross-over slot t8, and thenforwardly in the slot Hi. This movement first selects the rod 2 and thenshifts the addispeed forward or direct drive, the handle end of thelever ti is moved from the slot Hi across the cross-over slot fit andrearwardly into the third speed slot H, thus moving the additional redas forwardly compressing the spring ti which reacts when the ballringring it is unlocked by the synchronization or crossing of the of theshafts i, 2 and permits the clutch teeth "5 and it to inter-engage.

For reverse speed, the handle end of the lever ti is moved to the rightend of the cross-over slot ti and-pushed upwardly into the slot 72.

For facilitating the inter-engagement ofthe laws or teeth of coactingclutches. the teeth are cut alternately long and short, as seen inFigure 5. The additional rod W is provided with a spring pressed supportpoppet It for holding it in neutral position only, and not in shiftedposition, it being intended that the operator hold the handle end of thelever ti in shifted position, until the spring M or M reacts when thebalmng rlng' unlocks. The poppets M however hold the shifted shift rodin neutral and in shifted position. By this mechanism, a particularlysimple and emcient construction is provided for working in conjunctionwith balking ring clutches and also owing to the additional rod II andcan 8 and cover M, the shifting mechanism having a long perating handleis readily adaptedto conventional change speed gearing.

What we claim is:

1. In a transmission mechanism including a change speed transmissiongearing having a plurality oi shiitable elements to effect diderent gearchanges, the combination of a plurality of shii'table members having aiore-and-ait movement and connected to the said shiftable elementsrespectively, a rod having an axial shift 2. In a transmission mechincluding a" change speed trsion gearing having a pinrality or shiitableclutches to edect diderent gear changes, the clutches inclu jaw sectionsfor coacting with complements! jaw sections on the parts to be clutchedtogether, and means for ballnng the engagement of the jaw section ofeach shiitable clutch with its companion clutch element until the ssynchronize; the combination oi axially movable shii't rods connectedrespectively to theclutches, an additional rod having rocking selectingmovement and a foreand-aft shitting movement shiitable in oppositedirections from central position, a shifting er carried by and coactingwith the former rods, a lever having a lateral selecting movement and aiore-and-aft shifting movement connected to the additional rod to roclsand shift the same, and spring means interposed between the addi tionalrod and the selecting and shifting. finger permitting complete iore orsit movement oi the operating lever and the additional rod when theengagement oi the selected clutch is prevented by the ballring means andcompleting the shifting when the be me is operated by the synchronhationof the speeds to permit complete shifting of the selected clutch.

3. In a tron mechanism including a conventional cge speed gear box, getherein including shiitable members to edect difierent gear changes, andshifting mechanism inclu a group of axially shiitable rods arranged sideby side, a second box open at its top and bottom and in which the rodsare slidably mounted, the second box being mounted on the gear box inplace of the conventional cover, an additional rod, a selecting andshifting finger operable thereby and selectively coacting with one ofthe former rods, the additionalrod having a rocking selectingmovementpand an amal shifting movement, a cover in which the additionalrod is mounted, the cover being mounted on said second box, and aselecting and gear shifting lever pivotally carried by said cover andhaving an arm connected to the additional rod to reels and shift thesame.

l. In a transmission mechanism including a conventional change speedgear box, gearing therein including shiitablemembers to edect difierentgear changes, and shifting mechanism including a group of axiallyshii'table rods arranged side by side, a second box open at its top andbottom and in which the rods are slidably mounted, the second box beingmounted on the gear hes in place of the conventional cover, an

' root; and shift the same, the additional rod being formed with a crankand the arm of the lever being connected to the crank, the crank and thearm of the lever being so arranged and. of such r that the rockingmovement of the additional rod is such as to edect the selecting of anyone oi the group of rods arranged in the conventional manner in atransmission gearing and to shift the same axially.

CARL D. rn'rmson. ALERT H. D.

